Pneumatic-tire protector.



PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

A. J. LOGHER z J. A. PRBDOM. PNEUMATIG TIRE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 2, 1905.

1 UNTED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PNEUMATIC-TIRE PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application lecl March 2, 1905. Serial No. 248.009.

To @ZZ whom, Lt may concern.'

Be it known that we, ALBERT J. LooHnR and JOHN A. PREDOM, citizens ofthe United States, residing' at Auburn, in the county of Placer andState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pneumatic-Tire Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in protectors for cushion orpneumatic tiressuch as are commonly used on automobiles; and theinvention consists in an armor toJoe applied to the tread-surface of thetire and ad apted to protect the latter from puncture or wear by contactwith the road.

One object of our invention is to provide an armor that will not injurethe tire by contact therewith and that will prevent the skidding orsliding of the wheels on smooth or wet pavements.

A further object is to provide a tire wearing or tread surface that willstiffen the pneumatic tire without materially1 affecting its resilienceand that can be renewed without great expense.

Having the aforegoing special objects in view and others of generalutility, we have designed the tireprotector shown in a preferred form inthe accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a cross-sectional viewof a pneumatic tire of well-known form equipped with our improvedprotector; and Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a section of ourprotector, showing the tread or wearing surface.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Arepresents a common form ofpneumatic tire as it would appear in cross-section; but it will beunderstood that our protector is applicable to any form of rubbercushion-tire whether inflatable or not.

B represents a cover for the tread-surface of the tire proper, and sameis made from iiber, vulcanized rubber, or other suitable materialadapted to be fitted closely to the surface of the tire and to be formedin an endless band having outwardly-curved edges, as b, which present aconvex face to the adjacent portion of the tire. Placed over the band Bis the armor proper, C, which consists of an annular spring-steel bandformed with a central thickened portion c and on each side with a curvedange czrwhich conforms to the contour of the bandB and has its edges c3curved outwardly, so as to cover and protect the corresponding edges bofthe band B. This steel armor has its ends welded together and grounddown to form a smooth joint, so that it will present unbroken surfacesboth to the band, which it covers, and the subtire D, which it supportson its outer and flat face c4.

The subtire D is an annular band or ring of steel or any suitable metalwhich is placed over the armor C and may be secured thereto in anyapproved manner. It may be formed with a smooth wearing-surface ortransversely barred with grooves and ridges, as Z (Z2, the latter beingpreferably for use on smooth or slippery streets or in climbing hills.

From the construction above described it will be seen that we haveprovided a protector made up of three elements so combined and formed asto obtain the results sought for. The band B, of semiflexible material,serves to protect the rubber from direct Lcontact with the hard metal ofthe armor-ring O, and the latter is in turn protected by the tire D fromdirect contact with the road, this last function being important in viewof the cost of such ring. We have not shown any method of connecting thetire D to the armor O, because such connection may be effected in any ofthe ways known in the art and forms no part of our invention. rIheoutwardly-curved edges of the cover B and armor O serve to protect therubber tire from injury when the latter is under compression, as will bereadily apparent.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to obtainby Letters Patent. is-

l. A protector for cushion-tires, consisting of a band of semiflexiblematerial substantially as described iitted to the tread-surface of thetire and formed with outwardly-curved side edges, an armor adapted tocover said band and composed of metal having springflanges andoutwardly-curved side edges, and a metal band fitted to said armor andadapted to form the tread-surface of the protector.

' 2. A protector for cushion-tires, consisting of a band of semiiiexiblematerial substantially as described, covering the tread-surface of thetire and formed with outwardly-Haring.

IOO

side edges, an armor adapted to cover said IntestimonywhereofWeaxoursignatures band and composed of spring metal formed 1npresence of two Wltnesses.

with a. at central portion and with flanges ALBERT J. LOCHER.` havingtheir edges Haring outwardly and a. JOHN A. PREDOM. metal ring securedto the central portion of Witnesses:

the armorand adapted to form an antislipping L. L. CHAMBERLAIN,

tread-surface-for the protector. J. E. MARKS.

